Justin Redman was a former reporter for Select on NBC News.
7 face washes for acne-prone skin this year
Whether you’re shopping for a teenager or yourself, these top-rated facial cleansers boast ingredients that can help keep acne at bay.
This wash from CeraVe is Deignan’s pick for a lower-strength benzoyl peroxide wash. It has a concentration of 4 percent benzoyl peroxide to help clear acne and includes ceramides that, according to the company, can help repair the skin barrier and keep skin moisturized. CeraVe’s cleanser has a 4.6-star average rating from more than 19,700 reviews on Amazon.
This acne face wash from Humane, my previous skin care brand of choice as a zit-faced teenager, is highly rated on Amazon with a 4.5-star average rating from over 100 reviews. It has a 5 percent concentration of benzoyl peroxide and, according to the company, is vegan and cruelty-free.
For those with oily skin who can tolerate a higher concentration of benzoyl peroxide, Deignan recommended this 10 percent benzoyl peroxide wash from PanOxyl. According to the company, the wash kills acne-causing bacteria to help clear acne. The foaming wash has a 4.5-star average rating from more than 800 reviews at Target.
Select’s Shari Uyehara relies on this cleanser for blackheads. This scrub from St. Ives contains 1 percent salicylic acid as well as walnut shell powder and bamboo powder, which the company says are natural exfoliants that unclog the pores and clear away dead skin. St. Ives’ scrub has a 4.6-star average rating from more than 11,000 reviews on Amazon.
Sipe said that La Roche-Posay is one of her favorite skin care brands. This acne face wash from the brand contains a 2 percent concentration of salicylic acid. La Roche-Posay says that the wash is oil-free, fragrance-free and paraben-free. It has a 4.6-star average rating from over 9,700 reviews on Amazon.
This salicylic acid cleanser is Select writer Zoe Malin’s cleanser of choice. “This cleanser was recommended to me by an esthetician years ago and it’s the only one I’ve used ever since,” Malin said, noting that she uses it after workouts and it doesn’t dry out her skin, as long as she moisturizes after cleansing.
Deignan described acne face wash as “a good first-line, over-the-counter therapy for acne” but noted that results can take time and finding the best face wash for your skin “can take some trial and error.”
She added that if your acne does not improve within six weeks of using a wash, it’s a good idea to consult a dermatologist about stronger treatment options like clindamycin, doxycycline and minocycline.
“Treating acne early is important to prevent scarring and staining of the skin that could be very long-lasting,” Deignan cautioned.
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